IN THE HEART OF DARKNESS
by MirskianQueen
Summary: Padme joined Anakin on Mustafar, Luke and Leia are raised in the ways of the Sith... But what if one twin chose a different path? With one chance at freedom and peace. Sometimes, all you need is a little hope.
1. Chapter 1

**_IN THE HEART OF DARKNESS_**

___**Padme joined Anakin on Mustafar, Luke and Leia are raised in the ways of the Sith... But what if one twin chose a different path? With one chance at freedom and peace. Sometimes, all you need is a little hope.**_

_**PROLOGUE.**_

The sleek Naboo ship landed on the Mustafar landing platform near Anakin's green starfighter. As the ramp lowered, Anakin ran up to the ship and Padme ran to him.

"Padme, I saw your ship."

As they embraced, Padme clung to him."Oh, Anakin!"

"It's all right, you're safe now." Anakin said as he held Padme close, pushing her back, he frowned."What are you doing out here?"

Padme shook her head, "I was so worried about you." She stared into Anakin's face, "Obi-Wan told me terrible things."

"What things?"

Swallowing, Padme shook her head, "He said you have turned to the dark side..." She paused, her voice shaking as she forced herself to continue. "...That you killed younglings."

Staring down at her, Anakin sighed, "Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me."

Padme shook her head, "He cares about us."

Anakin frowned again, "Us?"

"He knows..." Padme took a deep breath, "He wants to help you."

"He can't help me," Anakin shook his head, "He's not strong enough."

"Anakin, all I want is your love."

Anakin looked down at her, shaking his head. "Love won't save you, Padme." He told her, "Only my new powers can do that."

"At what cost? You are a good person. Don't do this."

Turning away from her, Anakin shook his head. "I won't lose you the way I lost my mother!" He turned to her again, "I've become more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of and I've done it for you."

Closing the space between them, Padme reached up to stroke her hands through Anakin's hair. "Come away with me." She begged, "Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can."

"Don't you see, we don't have to run away anymore." Anakin smiled down at her, "I have brought peace to the Republic." He continued to look at Padme, "I am more powerful than the Chancellor. I can overthrow him, and together you and I can rule the galaxy. Make things the way we want them to be..."

Padme stared up at him, Obi-wan was right, he'd changed... But she couldn't live without him, couldn't raise their child alone. Nodding, Padme leaned against him. "I love you Anakin," She always would.

"Everything will be alright Padme," Anakin held her gently, "you'll see..." He broke off when he saw Obi-wan on the ramp. Pushing Padme behind him, Anakin looked at Obi-wan. "Why are you here Obi-wan?" He'd used Padme to find him, "Have you come to kill me?" His eyes were narrowed at Obi-wan.

"I don't want to Anakin. You're like a brother to me." Obi-wan looked at him sadly. "It's not too late for you. I can see it in your eyes."

Anakin cocked his head, "You still trust me." It wasn't a question.

"I trust you with my life."

Looking at Obi-wan, Anakin frowned... He couldn't let Obi-wan go, the Jedi would try to rebuild the Order... But he didn't want to kill him either, not when he wasn't fighting him. "And if I decided to kill you, right here and now?" Anakin asked, ignoring Padme's gasp of horror.

"I won't fight you Anakin," Obi-wan shook his head, "my life is in your hands." As Obi-wan looked at Anakin, the trust and loyalty in his eyes made Anakin take a step back. He was obviously hesitant about even harming Obi-wan.

Taking a breath Anakin started walking forward and stopped in front of Obi-wan. "Then I won't kill you." He looked back at Padme, who seemed relieved. Looking back at Obi-wan, he held his head up high. "But I can't let you go free either." Anakin suddenly raised his hand and used the force and pushed Obi-wan against Padme's ship.

As Obi-wan crumpled to the ground unconscious,, Anakin turned back to Padme and held his hand out to her. She willingly came forward, grasping his hand tightly in her own.


	2. Chapter 2

**_IN THE HEART OF DARKNESS_**

___**Padme joined Anakin on Mustafar, Luke and Leia are raised in the ways of the Sith... But what if one twin chose a different path? With one chance at freedom and peace. Sometimes, all you need is a little hope.**_

CHAPTER ONE.

Obi-wan aimlessly walked around the room that had been his prison for the past 19 years. Despite being a prisoner, he had remained in relatively good shape. The 'room' he was confined to, was force resistant; but other than that one precaution, he had been allowed to live in 'peace'. Occasionally Padme came to visit him and sometimes came with the children... But for the most part, his only 'company', had been Anakin who was now known as Emperor Vader throughout the galaxy.

When the door slid open, Obi-wan sighed. "Haven't you given up yet?" After 19 years, he had hoped that Anakin would just leave him alone.

"I thought you might like some company."

Obi-wan turned to face Anakin. He noticed that Anakin seemed more tired than usual. Of course, being emperor was not exactly easy, but he hadn't looked this tired before. The only thing he could guess was that the rebellion (from what he knew of) had increased their attacks lately.

"You look tired."

"I look better than Padme," Anakin smiled, "I'm going to be a father again."

Obi-wan blinked, he couldn't help smiling, after all, even though he was a Sith... Anakin did love his family, but that love didn't seem to be enough to turn him from the darkside. "Congratulations." his smile faded slightly, "Lorkan and Kalmin must be excited."

"You know, if you joined me, you could leave here." Anakin told him, "You could see Padme-"

"You really have changed," Obi-wan turned away from his old friend'. "Using your pregnant wife, to try make me join you."

"You don't have to turn to the dark side, Obi-wan." Anakin told him, "Just work with me, like Padme does."

Obi-wan closed his eyes, he made it seem so simple, so easy... "How long would it be before that wasn't good enough for you?"

Anakin frowned at him, "Now you don't trust me?" He gestured around the 'room', "I could have had you chained and tortured. Instead, I let you live in peace."

Anakin walked forward until he stood in front of Obi-wan, "You could be free..."Anakin sighed as Obi-wan refused to answer, "...Do you even remember what it feels like to use the Force?" Obi-wan blanched, his eyes closing as he turned away from Anakin. Sighing, Anakin shook his head and spoke into his comlink., "Lower the Force Resistance to 90%."

Obi-wan whirled to face him, "What are you doing?"

"Proving you can trust me," Turning away from him, Anakin walked out, leaving Obi-wan alone.

xxx

"I can't do it anymore Ara," Luke closed his eyes, "I just can't."

Princess Iara Organa nodded, _"Then don't," _She told Luke,_ "leave. Help us fight-"_

"It's not that easy Ara," Luke closed his eyes, "they're my family." His father... Luke clenched his hands into fists, he couldn't stay here though - couldn't keep pretending that he was a part of the Empire when it went against everything he believed in.

_"You can't keep living like this Luke,"_Iara sighed softly, _"it's going to destroy you."_

"I know..." Luke sighed, he had to leave... And he wasn't going alone. "I'll meet you on Naboo in two days."

Iara smiled, _"I love you Luke."_

"I love you to Ara," Luke smiled at her hologram faded. Sighing, he shook his head... Leaving, was the hardest thing he'd ever done.

x

When the door slid open, Obi-wan frowned... It wasn't Anakin returning, it was Luke. "I didn't know you were coming." Usually Anakin told him if Padme or any of their children were coming to see him.

Luke shook his head at Obi-wan. "That's because this isn't a social call..." He said, taking a deep breath, Luke licked his lips. "... It's a rescue."

"What?" Surely he had misheard, "What are you doing?"

"Leaving," Luke said bluntly, his voice shaking ever so slightly, showing his pain at his decision. "And you're coming too..." Looking at Obi-wan, Luke grinned weakly, "... unless you want to stay?"

Obi-wan smiled sadly, "You do know what you're doing?"

"Betraying my father and labeling myself a traitor?' Luke nodded, "I know..." He sighed and shook his head, "... But I can't stay anymore."

"Then we should go," If Anakin found out what Luke was planning, they would never managed to escape.

"He's being nice," Luke said, noticing the slightly weakened Force Resistance.

Obi-wan smiled sadly and sighed. "Once I leave, it will break any trust he had in me. And probably turn him against me completely."

"I keep hoping that my leaving will make him change..." Luke shook his head, "...But he's just going to be angry, isn't he?"

Obi-wan's eyes filled with sadness as he nodded."Perhaps we should get going, Luke. You're father won't stay busy forever. He will realize what we are up to, especially once he feels my full force presence."

"We need to go," Luke agreed, sighing, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Father won't forgive me for this..." Looking at Obi-wan as they ran from the room, Luke smiled weakly, "... Especially since Lorkan and Kalmin are coming with us."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Obi-wan asked worriedly. Luke nodded determinedly.

"I will not let them be raised as Sith." They both continued running toward the hangar.

However, they skidded to a stop when they saw Anakin standing in their way... With his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed on them in anger, his stance was lethal and threatening. Looking at Luke, he shook his head. "What do you think you're doing Luke?"

"Leaving," Luke stared at his father and shook his head. "I can't do it anymore," he told his father. "I can't keep pretending to be someone I'm not."

Anakin looked at Obi-wan, scowling, he glared at him. "This is how you repay my kindness," he shook his head, "you did this, didn't you?" His voice was growing more angry with every word, "You turned him against me-"

"No, he didn't." Luke placed himself in front of Obi-wan, shielding him from his father. "I chose this."

"Why?" Anakin asked, his face contorted in rage.

"I fell in love," Luke shrugged, "she made me see the truth..." Looking into his father's eyes, Luke shook his head, "... A galaxy living in fear is not _free_ and it's not _peace._"

"Is that what you truly believe, Luke?" Anakin shook his head, "Fear keeps people from acting ou-"

"But it can also turn the kindest of people into cruel dictators." Luke's eyes showed his sadness as he stared at his father. "Look at what it did to you..."

This caused Anakin to look at the floor and sigh. Activating his lightsaber, he looked up at them. "Either way, I can't let you leave."

"So that's how it is?" Luke asked, "I disagreed with you and you have to stop me?" Looking at his father, Luke shrugged, "And you wonder why I don't follow your beliefs."

Obi-wan could tell that Luke's words hurt Anakin deeply, but he didn't comment on them.

Suddenly Anakin moved forward, bringing down his lightsaber in a slash. It didn't take a genius to realize that he was holding back against Luke. When Luke realized this, he decided to use it to his advantage.

Obi-wan in the meantime had ran to the ships ramp and stood on to watch the fight.

The fight was a quick one. Luke had sensed his sister approaching. Unlike his father, his sister wouldn't hold back. Knowing he had to end this quickly, he sent out a force push that sent his father against the wall.

Luke looked on in horror as he watched his father collapsed to the ground. He hesitated going to the ship when he notice the red puddle forming around his father's head. Shakily he ran to the ship. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his father trying to get up. The ramp closed and Obi-wan flew the ship out of the hangar. However, before they left, Luke saw his sister watching them leave... as well as his mother kneeling next to his father as she looked up at their ship.


End file.
